Thanks to the Chicago Journal and Editor Hayley Graham for bringing focus to our rescue and recovery efforts in downtown Chicago as well as to the importance of safe building design! Today’s Chicago Journal included a fabulous article “Flying into the danger zone – Volunteers rescue fallen birds” that talks about Flint Creek’s volunteers that pick up stunned and injured birds that have collided with downtown Chicago’s buildings and bring them to Flint Creek Wildlife’s Northerly Island bird hospital for prompt, life-saving treatment.
We started triaging birds at our Northerly Island facility in April 2006 and improved survival rates by 9% in our first year of operation as compared with when birds were transported to the suburbs for treatment – simply by providing faster treatment for time-sensitive head trauma cases. This is a real victory for the birds and speaks volumes of the foresight of the Chicago Park District who donates space to us at Northerly as well as people like Bob O’Neill of the Grant Park Conservancy who was instrumental in seeing the Northerly Island “bird hospital” come to fruition.
And since Fall migration is here, please remember that if you find an injured bird, you should place it in a paper bag or a box with a folded paper towel in the bottom, secure the bag or box closed and place the bag or box in a quiet, dark location. Phone us at (847)842-8000 or bring injured birds to Northerly Island without an appointment between the hours of 8:30 am and 10:30 am seven days per week.
We also still need more rescue and recovery volunteers. Applications may be found on the volunteer page of our website at https://www.flintcreekwildlife.org/.
Thanks for helping us save lives!
Dawn